1
NATE
Istare down at my empty plate. That was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself. Good thing, since there are four more portions of it in the freezer.
I wash the few dishes by hand: this cabin is far too small to have a dishwasher. My house is a ten-minute drive out of town, so I bought this cabin to use as a home base during storms or other times that I might be required at a moment’s notice.
Hollow Peak didn’t really need an official ranger, but I wanted to create a job for myself away from my home town. A man needs to feel useful.
After a full year scouring the country, I bought my house and this cabin in the San Juan Mountains. Hollow Peak is a small town with a cozy warmth that’s been slowly helping me shake off the grouchy attitude I’d developed under the pressure of my huge family.
It’s a different mountain vibe than I’m used to. More sun, a larger number of artists and tourists. A lot of chill people who just want to be left alone to read their book. It’s how I live my own life for the most part – on my own, with some reading material and a coffee.
I’m just about to put on a fresh pot when there’s a hesitant knock at the door. Crap. Is it one of the guys from the firehouse, wanting to challenge me to some friendly competition at the gym? Someone with questions about how to take down a tree or deal with fallen branches from last week’s storm? Maybe it’s a real emergency – the kind that takes up my entire night and prevents me from digging into chapter seven of my spy thriller.
I fling open the door and suddenly find myself unable to speak.
The young woman standing in front of me is exquisite, with the perfectly sculpted face of an angel above an athletic body. Luscious curves in all the right places, the kind of figure that makes a man's pants instantly feel tight. As I take in her long, wavy auburn hair, and the way it accentuates her stunning navy eyes, my chest feels tight, too. Maybe even my brain. I swear, I'm suddenly overheated, prickling all over.
She blinks quickly, then licks her perfect cinnamon rose bottom lip that’s drawing me in like a magnet. "Are you the ranger?" she asks in a worried voice.
"Yes." I step aside. "Come in." I clear my throat. "Nate Turner. What can I do for you?"
"Bailey Lea. Um, my twin brothers Cody and Jacob are missing. They’re only six."
My heart sinks. "Let me guess. You were babysitting and got so lost in your phone that you couldn’t watch them properly?"
“What? No!” Her eyes fly wide, scandalized. "My mom and stepdad took off to dinner without telling me they wanted me to watch the boys. I was studying with my headphones on. I had no idea." Her brow furrows. "Honestly, I would have babysat in a heartbeat if I'd known. I love my stepbrothers. They're a handful, but?—"
I'm already pulling on my boots and grabbing my keys. “Where is the last place you saw them? And can you describe them for me?"
"The last time I saw them was at four this afternoon. My parents aren't answering their phones, but I saw a note on the desk in their room that they had a reservation at The Timberline Tavern for six. They must have left just before that." She flips to her photos. "This is what the boys were wearing this afternoon. I've already alerted the lodge where we’re staying and they’re combing the entire place with instructions to call me if they're found."
Wow. This girl is amazing. Regular folks tend to fly into a total panic during an emergency, usually causing more problems than they solve. But this young woman is doing everything right.
"Theo at the lodge is getting in touch with the sheriff, but your cabin is so close I thought it would be faster for me to run over here in person." She hesitates. "People always take things more seriously if you show up in person, right?"
"Right."
Her shoulders are shaking. Shit, she’s cold.
"You didn't bring a coat?" I ask.
"No…" She shakes her head, sending her hair swirling around her perky breasts, shown to perfection in a faded purple t-shirt. "I was texting so much as I ran out the door, I guess I forgot."
I grab two coats from the hooks beside the door, handing her the smaller one and pulling on the other. "Give me your number."
We swap numbers. "I'll need that photo of the boys,” I say. “And can you please text me their names, ages, and a short physical description?"
My phone pings in seconds without her typing. Wow. She had these details already written somewhere, ready to copy and paste. My admiration for her grows even more.
I grab two walkies from their chargers, then steer her out the door to my truck. "You're doing great, Bailey. Seriously. Much better than most would in this situation."
There's a flicker of a smile. "Thank you."
Once we're buckled in, I ask, "Where are the boys’ favorite places to play around here? Or what have they been excited to check out? It sounds like you’re here on holiday?"
Baily looks adorable in my enormous coat, her trembling fingers just peeking out the ends of the sleeves. Then she spots my charging cable and plugs in her phone.This young woman is crazy smartand level-headed.
